Legislation Introduced Last Week

The Allied Pilots Association (APA), which represents pilots at American Airlines, expressed its support last week for the Improving America's Security Act of 2007 introduced before Congress last week, and urged lawmakers to pass the legislation without further delay. APA representatives tell ANN the bill is designed to address shortcomings in the Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) program.

"Senator Bunning's amendment significantly improves the FFDO program by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to implement the program as Congress originally intended," said Captain Ralph Hunter, president of the Allied Pilots Association. "The improvements will attract more pilots into the program by eliminating needless restrictions and will also expand coverage to international flights."

According to Hunter, many pilots have declined participation because of the Transportation Security Administration's cumbersome application and participation requirements, non-standard badging and weapons restrictions, requirement for pilots to train at their own expense and the inability to protect international flights.

The proposed legislation -- which comes about from combined efforts of US Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY), APA's Committee for Armed Defense of the Cockpit (CADC), the Coalition of Airline Pilots Association and the Federal Flight Deck Officer's Association -- proposes changes in five areas of concern:

• Eliminates the lock box and permits FFDOs to carry their weapon on their person like other federal officers.
• Permits FFDOs to carry firearms on international flights.
• Provides a metal badge for identification of FFDOs to other law enforcement officers in a crisis.
• Provides due process protection to applicants and participants in the program.
• Holds the US State Department accountable to Congress for progress in negotiating agreements with foreign countries for FFDO carriage.

"We have been very pleased with administration of the program under the Federal Air Marshal Service," said First Officer Mike Karn, who chairs APA's CADC. "However, this amendment is essential to ensure the FFDO program operates as originally intended by Congress. It is imperative that this program be permitted to function effectively as a first line of deterrence and last line of defense against the hostile takeover of a US airliner."

FMI: www.alliedpilots.org, www.ffdoa.org